By week's end it should be known who will pay for hospital costs incurred if a tourist becomes infected with coronavirus, however, if visitors are from the EU, their countries will help too, Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli said on Tuesday in Split, where he signed a HRK 75 million grant agreement for a centre of competence.
"By the end of this week we will have precise information on who will cover the cost, however, if (foreign visitors) are treated in our hospitals and if they are from an EU country, naturally their country will ensure help and will pay. There is also a possibility, for example, for a tourist from Slovenia staying in Opatija, to be transported back home within an hour so that problem can be resolved that way, too," Cappelli told reporters following queries by small renters as to who would pay for the stay of a possibly infected tourist's family, who would have to spend 14 days in the apartment while the patient is being treated in hospital.
The main reason for Cappelli's visit to Split was a project to develop a Centre of Competence for Split-Dalmatia County, and Cappelli signed a HRK 75 million grant agreement for the project with the director of the Split Hotel and Tourism Management and Hospitality School, Ivan Bilic.
"This is an exceptionally important project for tourism and 85% of the HRK 75 million comes from EU funds while 15% will be provided by the Tourism Ministry. Additional funds have been provided by Split-Dalmatia County, and an additional HRK 30 million has been provided from the regional fund. This project for the dual education of quality staff is in fact valued at HRK 170 million," Cappelli underlined.
This is the sixth competence centre in Croatia on which work has been under way and Cappelli underscored that more than HRK 500 million had been secured from the European Social Fund and the Regional Development Fund for the concept of regional competence centres. (Hina)
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